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Hi my name is Sarthak Lal and I am a current student in UOWD. I am perusing my masters in international business and I’ve completed 7 subjects in total out of 10. I had recently attended a workshop in the university conducted by IDP where I came to know about the transfer system from UOWD to UOW. I have 3 subjects remaining and I would like to study in Australia to gain further exposure in this course. I am an FDI enthusiast and Australia has a diverse demography which would help me use my knowledge and built more awareness in the field of education, people and culture.

Before joining the UOWD I was admitted into Auckland university but the borders were closed and I was unable be to do it. Dubai had its borders opened and I was able to enter the country but the classes were online for the first two trimester and then hybrid.

Studying in Australia would enhance the right exposure as an international business student and also the privilege to interact with the whole new crowd and share and receive ideas. Australia is also known as an innovation hub and it would truly help me in stimulating my mind on my theses and also to think out of the box.

I had an opportunity to discuss about the Hydrogen fuels with Dr. Pascal who is the professor of UOW. It was a great insight, Th3e seminar was conducted in UAE’s expo 2020 where leading professors had come and discussed about the decarbonization and electric vehicles. I had also done a project on EV with Cisco and had worked closely with a group of students from different university in Dubai to be a part of study Australia industry experience program 2022 where we were commissioned to work with an Australian client to help them with the international market research. The company that we worked on was Sportandi. This helped me improve my service orientation, problem solving, collaboration, cultural conscience and leadership skill. Over all it was a great learning and a real time experience. MR. Andres Olascoaga CEO of Sportandi from Melbourne Australia provided us with the project scope and constructive feedback on our work to improve further.

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Week 1                                                                           27th Sep

What happened in class today?

At first, the professor discussed the ground rules and advised us to participate freely and be proactive. In the first side, we discussed culture, it's important to study, and its impact on society with examples, definition, and behavior of an individual. At large we saw the importance of globalization which has led to growing economic interconnectedness and methods to understand the culture in various aspects such as relationships, values, and norms, beliefs and attitudes, working habits, and practices.

How do feel about the class interaction?

Even though the classes were online the professor ensured that everyone participates by giving real-life examples and situations which helped the students stimulate their minds and think more deeply. The class was exciting and everyone took part in various topics and discussions which enriched our minds into knowing about culture since most of the students are from a different country

Why do I feel as I do?

Cross-cultural management is indeed an interesting subject and the professor had made it more interesting by sharing her knowledge and expertise in this field. The professor was really kind and soft allowing the students to speak freely without any judgment and it was really nice to hear the students speak up and share their own experiences with culture. I was really happy to see the energy of the professor and students taking part in the discussion and making the class so exciting.

What did I learn today?

In our first class, we discussed various topics and the reason why it is important to understand the culture in subparts we learned about different views on systems, economics, politics. Under cultural variables, we read and understood about the environment, time, action, communication, space, power, individualism, collectivism, structure, and thinking with real-life examples from professors and students.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I feel I should have a more fun approach to the subject by reading lots of articles and journals to get in-depth knowledge on the subject. UOWD has provided us with lots of resources and the professor was really kind to share all the interesting books and articles by sharing with us the direct link. So, I would like to read on the subject as much as I can so that I can understand more on the subject and various cultures all around the globe. It would be definitely empowering for me as an international business student.

Anything else to note?

I would like to add that we are blessed to have a professor like Dr. Alison. Her approach towards the students and her way of explaining the terms and theories makes the class so much interesting and help students to retain the conceptual theories in their minds immediately. Looking forward to the next class which will be held on campus to share and gain more knowledge and meet the amazing professor, my classmates, from different countries.

Week 2 -                                                                          4th Oct

I was so excited for week 2. The lecture was held on campus and it was my first class to attend. The enrollment for the subject was full and I was not sure if I will be accepted in the subject. The second subject which I have chosen was Global business strategy and I could actually interrelate the importance of cross-cultural management in globalization. A few terminologies such as ethnocentric perspective and not invented here syndrome definitely fascinated me to take this subject.

What happened in class today?

Today it was face-to-face interaction. I arrived here in April 2020 and since then the classes were all online. It was the first time I visited the classroom and I was so happy to see all the new faces. The professor was highly energetic and welcomed us to the class with all the warmth and happiness. At first, the professor introduced herself I was amazed at all the work experience she has and the wealth of knowledge in every aspect. Later, the students were allowed to interact with their classmates. A task was assigned- we had to introduce ourselves to at least 3 people and talk to them. Know their names, country of origin, where they work, and three common things we have, and what surprises us about them. I happen to meet with most of the students in general. Later the professor asked us to come on stage and introduce the other person whom we met in class to say about them. There were at least 6 people online and the professor had provided us with a camera and mic which helped the online students not to miss the interaction. I met Alia from UAE and Ahmed from Jordan. It was really memorable.

How do I feel about class interaction?

The class interaction was really amazing. Since we knew most of our peers it was easy to communicate and the students felt free to engage in discussion and felt more comfortable talking about the culture. It was nice to see how everyone was so interactive after the icebreaker session. The professor ensured us to talk freely and comfortably and the classroom was declared as a non-judgmental zone.

What do I feel as I do?

In my previous classes in my first trimester, things were totally different. All we had was a what’s app group and only the project and assignment dates were discussed. I used to struggle at times and was too shy to email or ask the professor online because I had a fear of what other people might think or what if the professor gets angry. Although the syllabus and terms and definitions were all explained very briefly and clearly, I felt it hard at times because it was online and the math solutions were exceeding more than 3 pages on the word document online so I was unable to connect it. I also felt students in this country are usually reserved and don’t like to talk much. Also, most of them worked and I was jobless so it might be also the work pressure that made them just focus on themselves. But after attending today's lecture my whole perspective changed and I was really happy to be a part of a class where we have such interactive students and an awesome professor.

What did I learn tonight?

Tonight’s class was really very insightful. Firstly, the professor familiarized us with various jargon such as Self-reference criterion, Parochialism, Ethnocentrism. We learned about the Cultural ice break model- Levels of a culture where behaviors and practices of an individual are visible and observed, whereas the attitudes which includes how the core values are reflected in specific structure in daily life such as working or socializing and institutional influences of forces which creates, define and mold a culture’s core value and also the symbol and artifacts, exposed norms and culture and basic underlying assumption. We also studied the values and what difference it makes in attitudes and ways of thinking, feeling, and behaviors at the workplace. I also understood the cultural value dimensions and how values can vary across subcultures. To add we also looked upon the characteristics and assumptions of a culture. The professor stimulated our minds with real-life examples of how cultural symbols have we witnessed in the UAE and what symbols are important in our culture. The professor took us into a brief introduction on how culture may affect management practice and process with E.g., such of 3 different countries which made me think about how culture can impact various aspects such as communications, negotiation, decision making, leadership, ethics, and international human resources.

We also read about national cultural dimensions based on the work of Greet Hofstede from Amsterdam. In his theory, he explains the 4 major dimensions such as power distance, individualism, muscularity, and uncertainty avoidance, and later the professor compared various countries on the database which showed us the graphical representation of the 4 dimensions in the individual countries together as a statistic. In the end, the professor explained to us about the group project which is due on week 8 and we also saw how Belbin's role has such great importance in a team.

Is there anything I would do differently?

As an international business student, I am here to study and analyze the importance and knowing the various work culture around the world with this knowledge I shall be more careful in using my words and hand gestures so that no community is offended by my actions.

Anything else to note?

It was very fascinating to know about the different cultures and opinions of the people across the globe, I shall take a deeper look into it to add more to my knowledge and if I find something interesting, I would be happy to share it in the class but of course, the professor has covered all the major and important topics. Thank you professor for such an insightful class.

Week 3-                                                                11th Oct
What happened in class today?

Today we had an online class. Dr. Alison had called the faculty from the UOWD library to guide all the students on how to use and find the useful resources on moodle as well as the library link. It was clearly explained and the librarian also included the basic procedure of reference and citation which will be really helpful in every subject project. Later we studied different new concepts and theories and applied them to examples such as watching a clip-on top gear.

How was the class interaction?

The class interaction was really energetic even though it was online the professor asked us questions on our past cultural and value experiences we refreshed our minds again with the theories we studied in our previous classes such as Hofstede theory which helped me to retrain the information more accurately.

Why do I feel like this?

Online lectures are mostly one-sided and less of interaction but the professor asked us to unmute ourselves and speak freely which made the class very interactive and we had a great discussion on the theories and their different dimensions on the subject.

What did you study today?

Today’s topic was really very interesting. We read about the dimensions of difference Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner built on the work of Hofstede, resulting in the following:  Universalism or Particularism, Individualism or Communitarianism, Specific or Diffusion, Neutral or Affective, Achievement or Ascription, Inner direction or Outer direction, Sequential time or Synchronic we also had the opportunity to learn about Universalism and particularism which deals with rules, codes, laws, and generalizations Particularism Exceptions, special circumstances, unique relations. Also, Individualism focus on the rights, motivations, rewards, and freedom of individuals, and Communitarianism Focus on the care and advancement of the whole community. Specificity has its main focus on details, facts, and numbers, and Diffusion focuses on patterns, relationships, and contexts. Neutral which has its main focus on Behave professionally, being detached, dispassionate, and focus on tasks and Affective Communicate personal feelings to colleagues’ Various terms such as neutral or affective, Achievement or Ascription, Inner direction or outer direction, sequential time or synchronic time.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I would like to read the topics beforehand so that I am more aware of what the professor is teaching so that I can engage and ask questions and get a brief understanding of the tropics

Anything else to note?

Dr. Alison's methods of teaching and engaging with students are amazing we were given a few clips to watch such as the Stanford prison case study really excited to watch it. We also made our group for the video presentation for UK students and I am really excited for next weeks class on campus

Week 4 -                                                                     18th Oct
What happened in class today?

Today the class was on campus and it was really exciting most of the people had arrived. We were also exacted to meet Dr. Amarachi from DMU through a video conference.

How was your class interaction?

At first, Dr. Alison gave us an insight into the Stanford prison experiment video. The video was dark so a lot of students were unable to watch it for 29 mins but I actually liked it because I looked at the experiment as a study case. Although what happened was sad but then we live in a world where dominance still plays an important role in society.

Why do I feel like this?

As a student of sociology, I have read about lots of theories on such as Structural, Functionalism, Symbolic, and Conflict perspectives. And I like to make sense of abstract theories. In the experiment video, I could relate it with the Marxist perspective. According to cross-cultural -Empathetic vs Sadistic. It is important to understand our human nature, behaviors, emotions, decisions and how we are affected by our environment, and how we create it. In particular Power and Authority!!

What did you study today?

Toady Dr. Alison taught us about the cultural shock how it affects people and the different phases of it. We also understood the key reasons and the things people do when there is a cultural shock. For me, it was excessive cleaning, Tiredness which I haven't still recovered from, and compulsive drinking every day. We also related to the graph of Punnetts where he had mentioned different phases. I still haven't achieved mastery yet.

Later how to develop cross-cultural competencies and tips on how to manage cultural shock. Tips such as knowing about the host country getting familiar with physical surroundings can help us in managing the shock. Incorporate world by providing adequate training and familiarity to the host country customs and traditions

Is there anything I would like to do differently?
The tips for managing cultural shocks were great and I shall definitely apply them to my life to achieve mastery

Anything else I would like to note?

The class was really amazing and I am really excited to meet the DMU students

Week 5                                                                           25th Oct

What happened in class today?

Today’s class was online and our group had created a zoom link and sent it to the professor. Later, the professor shared the link with the DMU students, and the meeting was scheduled at 6 PM. It was a webcam interview and the student from DMU was happy with our smiling faces and we started off with our interview by giving an introduction about ourselves and keeping the tips in mind which the professor had advised us to when we take an interview.

How was your group interaction?

The interview was good and lively. I explained to the student how rich her college is providing education for over 150 years and king Richard 3 has a history as he had united all the provenience and later lost in the battle of Bosworth 1485. His remains are buried in the church of annunciation located inside the campus.

Why do I feel like this?

The student was born in the UK so she did not have much of a cultural shock. So, the group just had a casual interaction and told the student about DXB and about our general day in the city. We also discussed some general issues in the interview.

What did I study today?

Later after the interview, the professor had advised us to read the slides. I was able to read the slides on an interesting case study of Su Ling where she was a store manager and she had two different bosses who really had different approaches on hierarchy. One was free and always supported and encouraged her to make decisions on her own to enhance her creativity while the other was more of a formal person who liked to follow the institutional rules and procedures Tom had high context culture whereas Wati had low context culture. Tom was more affective whereas Wati was neutral. (According to Hofstede theory)

Su Ling also suffered from disorientation as she always wanted to follow a hierarchy but she was allowed to do it in free spirit but later her other manager was more rule-abiding and ascription which made Su ling wonder as she had adapted the Toms way of working.

Is there anything else I would like to do differently?

If I was Su I would have told Tom about my difficulties and asked him for moral guidance as he was more of a people person maybe I would have asked him to let me be in his team so that I can be more innovative which is totally required in today's workforce.

Anything else to add?

On a personal note, I don’t know why but when I am in groups I usually tend to talk very little and listen more. Suppose I have a best friend and we have so much to talk about. I can talk to him about history, world international relations, Mobsters, etc but when there are a lot of people around I tend to be quiet. I can speak up on a stage but these small gathering has always scared me.

Week 6                                                                              1st Nov

What happened in class today?

Today we had an exam on campus. The theories such as Hofstede 1980, Punnett's cultural shock, Emotional intelligence, and Rana plaza case study where we had to advise the Bangladesh factory owners how to cope up with workers attitudes and have empathy.

How was the class interaction?

Everyone was busy with writing the answers as we had a time limit and it had to be completed within the given time framework. Later we had an interview with DMU students

Why do I feel this way?

I felt a little when we had a new group join us as I did not know anyone when the interview was going on I was very restricted in speaking as half of the questions were already answered I realized that I am a good listener but when it comes to speaking I always allow other to talk unless its something which needs an explanation.

What did I learn today?

Thankfully due to the exam, I was able to read and retain more theories in detail I was able to read a few articles which the professor had suggested from Forbes and other journals on emotional intelligence and how important a role it plays in an organization.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I would like to be more social in group activities. The questions were general and I was unable to speak up and ask because everyone had already spoken and asked I was hesitant to communicate. I have to work on this. I come from a family where authority and power speak and we follow the order

Anything else I would like to add?

My family has always taken big decisions for the government and governors. My Mom always took me to meetings but I was made to sit on the other chair not at the table with the powerful people. She always asked me to listen carefully and try to read between the lines and when someone in power speaks we should never say anything how much ever the rage is. Actions can be taken later. Leverage is the key. The utility is something she advised me to keep in mind. Always have utility. Maybe these are the reason I was unable to say freely in the group.

Also studying in a boarding school from a very age and being bullied by the seniors can also be one of the reasons why I was not so comfortable around new people.

By nature, I am a very shy person

Week-7                                                                             8th Nov

What happened in class today?

Today the class was scheduled online. Professor asked us how was our weekend told us to fill a feedback form on DMU students' interviews. the professor also told us about the DMU podcast related to culture, Diversity. It sounded very interesting and I would definitely participate in it.

How was your group interaction?

The group interaction was amazing. Students were highly energetic and gave real-life examples on organization structure and its hierarchy

Why do you feel this way?
Podcast has helped me a lot during the time when I was low in the host country. I feel I would really like to interact with people around the globe and express my views on regional and cultural diversity.

What did you learn today?

Today we studied organization structure and its types such as Flat and Matrix Verticle and horizontal. We also watched a video on corporate culture, collection of sustaining patterns and behavior which helps an organization to achieve long term growth. We also read about the impact on national culture, Structural and on Team and Workgroups. A very good question was asked by a student on how could organizational cultures and systems overcome the cultural differences between managers and subordinates. we also read about structural variation across cultures. A very well-defined example was given on Japanese and Korean families. In the end, we looked at the Effiel tower effect and Guided-missile culture. The place I come from has a high structural hierarchy and people are punished for crossing protocols and rules. It is nice to see the new ways of adaptation of cultural differences in theories across firms.

Is there anything else I would like to do differently?

The theories and concepts about diversification are what I would like to keep in mind so that when I open a form there are no cultural barriers and employees are trained in order to achieve growth, success, peace, and harmony.

Anything else I would like to add?

I will watch a movie this weekend called the social network and read more on Chaebol and Keiretsu family.

Week 8                                                              15thNov

What happened in class today?

Today was an on-campus class. We discussed various topics such as world view on ethics. We also learned about religion and culture and how believers conduct themselves has an impact on the cost of doing business. We also watched a video of 5 major religions in the class. We also read about legal, moral, rights with different viewpoints of the society.

How was the class interaction?

The class was deeply involved in understanding the religion and sharing thoughts on every aspect. We spoke about Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism. To conclude collective religious, cultural, and legal traditions were discussed. The professor also stimulated our thoughts with a real-life example such as Sudden increase of passenger flights to Palestine

Why do you feel this way?

Understanding different cultures help us to conduct business in a more professional way without hurting the sentiment of a religious sect.

What did you learn today?

Today we read on cross-national ethics and different views of it with the perspective of society where something legal in a custom can be regarded as illegal in the eyes of laws. What is right and wrong can also be subjective and moral and immoral based on people's understanding. We read about the importance of ethical values and how organizations that embed ethical values can enjoy the benefits of cultural diversity, higher productivity, innovation, and organizational improvement. Different examples of ethical or nonethical codes of conduct such as bribery, sabotage, theft, spying, discrimination, nepotism. ( In my country India this is highly encouraged as is considered as one of the frameworks of ease of doing business) but again the govt is changing and the new govt is in a fight to end corruption so it's a win for citizens. In India, people have faith in the judiciary but now they have started believing in executive and legislative due to the end of the above factors. The professor stimulated our minds and students gave real-life examples of whether to bribe or not to bribe ( I'm a law-abiding citizen and I have never bribed anyone, Tips to waiters for their hard work which I usually give despite high service charges on the final bill just to keep up there sprit up. Festival tips mentioned by the professor was really new to me it was nice how she had overcome the confusion when she arrived in the UAE, One more interesting fact mentioned was how it is considered offensive to give tip in NZ. We also read about moral questions - Custom and beliefs in the host country whether its acceptable and future consequences. We also discussed ethical and legal behavior where the behavior is not legally wrong but then can it be considered ethical. We also had a brief discussion on ethical relativism such as the self-death concept in Jainism and euthanasia- The right to live and die.
There was an interesting theory called hookers distinctions (2003) the level of acceptable and unacceptable were discussed and culture relativism theory where the custom culture is given more importance. We also read various importance integrity in business which is highly associated with CSR where areas such as employment practices and policies, consumer protection, environmental protection, Political payment and involvement, Basic human rights and fundamental freedom of an individual and community responsibility of a firm ( A real-life eg was mentioned by the professor when she visited a coffee plantation in Costa Rica)

10 Top guidelines \ requirements of social responsibility were mentioned with its added advantage and disadvantage ( admit a mistake- Where in Uk is considered as honesty but in NZ it shows inability\weaknesss even though it was an honest mistake. The most I liked was taking a public stand on social issues and monitoring the changing environment
In the end, it was discussed that it is crucial to identify and recognize ethical behavior to avoid blunders in business encounters such as negotiations, decision making, communication. It is also important to note that what is practiced by a culture may not necessarily be ethical.

Is there anything I would do differently?

The abstract was given to us and based on my understanding it was indeed important to follow the given points and theory in order to succeed in a host country. Hence, I would understand and follow the rules and try to always take an ethical approach.

Anything else I would like to add?

I shall be reading the case study of a Japanese train worker whose wages were deducted due to someone else's mistake and an article on ethical relativism which talks about the afterlife and incarnation

Week9                                                                  22nd Nov

What happened in class today?

Today's class was online. We discussed various topics under the leadership and the importance of leadership in an organization. Students spoke about their real-life situations at the workplace and approach to different types of leadership styles in culture. A leader shows skills in directing a group together and has a natural authority and people respect him\her.

How was the class interaction?

The class interaction was interactive. Professor stimulated our minds with real-life examples and tales which helped us to connect the dots and made us think about the different aspects of styles in leadership and cross-cultural management.

Why do we feel this way?

A leader motivates people and influences a group of the crowd in order to achieve a common goal. The ability to stay calm make decisions and carry a force towards a specific goal is a major trait of a leader.

What did you learn today?

Today we learned the importance of leadership in a successful organization. We also had a discussion on the differences that exist between a leader and a manager. Later, we saw different styles and characteristics of a good leader and various theoretical paradigms of leadership, and different approaches of leadership across cultures.

We also read a theory by Adler on what to expect from a leader where he\she has a vision that helps achieve long term growth and short term objectives, He\she who motivates the group and makes a decision that influences the success of the organization.

A manager can be described as implementing steps and timetables to achieve the needed result whereas a leader is visionary and implements high-level strategy in order to achieve the growth of the organization
A manager focuses on results whereas a leader makes changes and implements\makes new policies.

In cross-cultural context, the two main drivers can be analyzed as - Influencing people and achieving objectives. It is said effective leadership begins with an understanding of power not missing it and being able to influence the followers even when the situation is not favorable. We also read 5 major sources of power such as formal or legitimate power, Expert power(knowledge) Reward power, Punishment power, Personality power ( President Obama), and coercive power. We also read about various traditional leadership theories themes and theories such as Adaptable to the situation, alertness to the social environment, assertive, decisive, dominant, energetic, persistent, self-confident, tolerant and willing to assume responsibility, and tolerant of stress. We also read about cultural intelligence and its 3 components such as the physical, cognitive, and emotional\motivation. It was mentioned that most managers are not equally strong in these 3 areas.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

The theory and studies have mentioned different types of traits and characteristics a leader should have. some leaders are born and some are made. By following the above theory and understanding the basic concept of how the world works it is possible to become a leader if you have a strong ambition guided by conscience.

Anything else I would like to add?

American former New York mobster and caporegime of the Colombo crime family, and son of former underboss Sonny Franzese. He was asked if it is better to be loved or feared. He said feared. Love lasts for a time fear is instilled which stays longer. Leadership is a quality where one has to navigate through all the existing hurdles and criticism from others. As tony soprano says - Every decision you make affects every facet of everything. It’s too much to deal with almost. And in the end, you’re completely alone with it all.”

# data[].attributes.body
Week 1                                                                           27th Sep

What happened in class today?

At first, the professor discussed the ground rules and advised us to participate freely and be proactive. In the first side, we discussed culture, it's important to study, and its impact on society with examples, definition, and behavior of an individual. At large we saw the importance of globalization which has led to growing economic interconnectedness and methods to understand the culture in various aspects such as relationships, values, and norms, beliefs and attitudes, working habits, and practices.

How do feel about the class interaction?

Even though the classes were online the professor ensured that everyone participates by giving real-life examples and situations which helped the students stimulate their minds and think more deeply. The class was exciting and everyone took part in various topics and discussions which enriched our minds into knowing about culture since most of the students are from a different country

Why do I feel as I do?

Cross-cultural management is indeed an interesting subject and the professor had made it more interesting by sharing her knowledge and expertise in this field. The professor was really kind and soft allowing the students to speak freely without any judgment and it was really nice to hear the students speak up and share their own experiences with culture. I was really happy to see the energy of the professor and students taking part in the discussion and making the class so exciting.

What did I learn today?

In our first class, we discussed various topics and the reason why it is important to understand the culture in subparts we learned about different views on systems, economics, politics. Under cultural variables, we read and understood about the environment, time, action, communication, space, power, individualism, collectivism, structure, and thinking with real-life examples from professors and students.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I feel I should have a more fun approach to the subject by reading lots of articles and journals to get in-depth knowledge on the subject. UOWD has provided us with lots of resources and the professor was really kind to share all the interesting books and articles by sharing with us the direct link. So, I would like to read on the subject as much as I can so that I can understand more on the subject and various cultures all around the globe. It would be definitely empowering for me as an international business student.

Anything else to note?

I would like to add that we are blessed to have a professor like Dr. Alison. Her approach towards the students and her way of explaining the terms and theories makes the class so much interesting and help students to retain the conceptual theories in their minds immediately. Looking forward to the next class which will be held on campus to share and gain more knowledge and meet the amazing professor, my classmates, from different countries.

Week 2 -                                                                          4th Oct

I was so excited for week 2. The lecture was held on campus and it was my first class to attend. The enrollment for the subject was full and I was not sure if I will be accepted in the subject. The second subject which I have chosen was Global business strategy and I could actually interrelate the importance of cross-cultural management in globalization. A few terminologies such as ethnocentric perspective and not invented here syndrome definitely fascinated me to take this subject.

What happened in class today?

Today it was face-to-face interaction. I arrived here in April 2020 and since then the classes were all online. It was the first time I visited the classroom and I was so happy to see all the new faces. The professor was highly energetic and welcomed us to the class with all the warmth and happiness. At first, the professor introduced herself I was amazed at all the work experience she has and the wealth of knowledge in every aspect. Later, the students were allowed to interact with their classmates. A task was assigned- we had to introduce ourselves to at least 3 people and talk to them. Know their names, country of origin, where they work, and three common things we have, and what surprises us about them. I happen to meet with most of the students in general. Later the professor asked us to come on stage and introduce the other person whom we met in class to say about them. There were at least 6 people online and the professor had provided us with a camera and mic which helped the online students not to miss the interaction. I met Alia from UAE and Ahmed from Jordan. It was really memorable.

How do I feel about class interaction?

The class interaction was really amazing. Since we knew most of our peers it was easy to communicate and the students felt free to engage in discussion and felt more comfortable talking about the culture. It was nice to see how everyone was so interactive after the icebreaker session. The professor ensured us to talk freely and comfortably and the classroom was declared as a non-judgmental zone.

What do I feel as I do?

In my previous classes in my first trimester, things were totally different. All we had was a what’s app group and only the project and assignment dates were discussed. I used to struggle at times and was too shy to email or ask the professor online because I had a fear of what other people might think or what if the professor gets angry. Although the syllabus and terms and definitions were all explained very briefly and clearly, I felt it hard at times because it was online and the math solutions were exceeding more than 3 pages on the word document online so I was unable to connect it. I also felt students in this country are usually reserved and don’t like to talk much. Also, most of them worked and I was jobless so it might be also the work pressure that made them just focus on themselves. But after attending today's lecture my whole perspective changed and I was really happy to be a part of a class where we have such interactive students and an awesome professor.

What did I learn tonight?

Tonight’s class was really very insightful. Firstly, the professor familiarized us with various jargon such as Self-reference criterion, Parochialism, Ethnocentrism. We learned about the Cultural ice break model- Levels of a culture where behaviors and practices of an individual are visible and observed, whereas the attitudes which includes how the core values are reflected in specific structure in daily life such as working or socializing and institutional influences of forces which creates, define and mold a culture’s core value and also the symbol and artifacts, exposed norms and culture and basic underlying assumption. We also studied the values and what difference it makes in attitudes and ways of thinking, feeling, and behaviors at the workplace. I also understood the cultural value dimensions and how values can vary across subcultures. To add we also looked upon the characteristics and assumptions of a culture. The professor stimulated our minds with real-life examples of how cultural symbols have we witnessed in the UAE and what symbols are important in our culture. The professor took us into a brief introduction on how culture may affect management practice and process with E.g., such of 3 different countries which made me think about how culture can impact various aspects such as communications, negotiation, decision making, leadership, ethics, and international human resources.

We also read about national cultural dimensions based on the work of Greet Hofstede from Amsterdam. In his theory, he explains the 4 major dimensions such as power distance, individualism, muscularity, and uncertainty avoidance, and later the professor compared various countries on the database which showed us the graphical representation of the 4 dimensions in the individual countries together as a statistic. In the end, the professor explained to us about the group project which is due on week 8 and we also saw how Belbin's role has such great importance in a team.

Is there anything I would do differently?

As an international business student, I am here to study and analyze the importance and knowing the various work culture around the world with this knowledge I shall be more careful in using my words and hand gestures so that no community is offended by my actions.

Anything else to note?

It was very fascinating to know about the different cultures and opinions of the people across the globe, I shall take a deeper look into it to add more to my knowledge and if I find something interesting, I would be happy to share it in the class but of course, the professor has covered all the major and important topics. Thank you professor for such an insightful class.

Week 3-                                                                11th Oct
What happened in class today?

Today we had an online class. Dr. Alison had called the faculty from the UOWD library to guide all the students on how to use and find the useful resources on moodle as well as the library link. It was clearly explained and the librarian also included the basic procedure of reference and citation which will be really helpful in every subject project. Later we studied different new concepts and theories and applied them to examples such as watching a clip-on top gear.

How was the class interaction?

The class interaction was really energetic even though it was online the professor asked us questions on our past cultural and value experiences we refreshed our minds again with the theories we studied in our previous classes such as Hofstede theory which helped me to retrain the information more accurately.

Why do I feel like this?

Online lectures are mostly one-sided and less of interaction but the professor asked us to unmute ourselves and speak freely which made the class very interactive and we had a great discussion on the theories and their different dimensions on the subject.

What did you study today?

Today’s topic was really very interesting. We read about the dimensions of difference Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner built on the work of Hofstede, resulting in the following:  Universalism or Particularism, Individualism or Communitarianism, Specific or Diffusion, Neutral or Affective, Achievement or Ascription, Inner direction or Outer direction, Sequential time or Synchronic we also had the opportunity to learn about Universalism and particularism which deals with rules, codes, laws, and generalizations Particularism Exceptions, special circumstances, unique relations. Also, Individualism focus on the rights, motivations, rewards, and freedom of individuals, and Communitarianism Focus on the care and advancement of the whole community. Specificity has its main focus on details, facts, and numbers, and Diffusion focuses on patterns, relationships, and contexts. Neutral which has its main focus on Behave professionally, being detached, dispassionate, and focus on tasks and Affective Communicate personal feelings to colleagues’ Various terms such as neutral or affective, Achievement or Ascription, Inner direction or outer direction, sequential time or synchronic time.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I would like to read the topics beforehand so that I am more aware of what the professor is teaching so that I can engage and ask questions and get a brief understanding of the tropics

Anything else to note?

Dr. Alison's methods of teaching and engaging with students are amazing we were given a few clips to watch such as the Stanford prison case study really excited to watch it. We also made our group for the video presentation for UK students and I am really excited for next weeks class on campus

Week 4 -                                                                     18th Oct
What happened in class today?

Today the class was on campus and it was really exciting most of the people had arrived. We were also exacted to meet Dr. Amarachi from DMU through a video conference.

How was your class interaction?

At first, Dr. Alison gave us an insight into the Stanford prison experiment video. The video was dark so a lot of students were unable to watch it for 29 mins but I actually liked it because I looked at the experiment as a study case. Although what happened was sad but then we live in a world where dominance still plays an important role in society.

Why do I feel like this?

As a student of sociology, I have read about lots of theories on such as Structural, Functionalism, Symbolic, and Conflict perspectives. And I like to make sense of abstract theories. In the experiment video, I could relate it with the Marxist perspective. According to cross-cultural -Empathetic vs Sadistic. It is important to understand our human nature, behaviors, emotions, decisions and how we are affected by our environment, and how we create it. In particular Power and Authority!!

What did you study today?

Toady Dr. Alison taught us about the cultural shock how it affects people and the different phases of it. We also understood the key reasons and the things people do when there is a cultural shock. For me, it was excessive cleaning, Tiredness which I haven't still recovered from, and compulsive drinking every day. We also related to the graph of Punnetts where he had mentioned different phases. I still haven't achieved mastery yet.

Later how to develop cross-cultural competencies and tips on how to manage cultural shock. Tips such as knowing about the host country getting familiar with physical surroundings can help us in managing the shock. Incorporate world by providing adequate training and familiarity to the host country customs and traditions

Is there anything I would like to do differently?
The tips for managing cultural shocks were great and I shall definitely apply them to my life to achieve mastery

Anything else I would like to note?

The class was really amazing and I am really excited to meet the DMU students

Week 5                                                                           25th Oct

What happened in class today?

Today’s class was online and our group had created a zoom link and sent it to the professor. Later, the professor shared the link with the DMU students, and the meeting was scheduled at 6 PM. It was a webcam interview and the student from DMU was happy with our smiling faces and we started off with our interview by giving an introduction about ourselves and keeping the tips in mind which the professor had advised us to when we take an interview.

How was your group interaction?

The interview was good and lively. I explained to the student how rich her college is providing education for over 150 years and king Richard 3 has a history as he had united all the provenience and later lost in the battle of Bosworth 1485. His remains are buried in the church of annunciation located inside the campus.

Why do I feel like this?

The student was born in the UK so she did not have much of a cultural shock. So, the group just had a casual interaction and told the student about DXB and about our general day in the city. We also discussed some general issues in the interview.

What did I study today?

Later after the interview, the professor had advised us to read the slides. I was able to read the slides on an interesting case study of Su Ling where she was a store manager and she had two different bosses who really had different approaches on hierarchy. One was free and always supported and encouraged her to make decisions on her own to enhance her creativity while the other was more of a formal person who liked to follow the institutional rules and procedures Tom had high context culture whereas Wati had low context culture. Tom was more affective whereas Wati was neutral. (According to Hofstede theory)

Su Ling also suffered from disorientation as she always wanted to follow a hierarchy but she was allowed to do it in free spirit but later her other manager was more rule-abiding and ascription which made Su ling wonder as she had adapted the Toms way of working.

Is there anything else I would like to do differently?

If I was Su I would have told Tom about my difficulties and asked him for moral guidance as he was more of a people person maybe I would have asked him to let me be in his team so that I can be more innovative which is totally required in today's workforce.

Anything else to add?

On a personal note, I don’t know why but when I am in groups I usually tend to talk very little and listen more. Suppose I have a best friend and we have so much to talk about. I can talk to him about history, world international relations, Mobsters, etc but when there are a lot of people around I tend to be quiet. I can speak up on a stage but these small gathering has always scared me.

Week 6                                                                              1st Nov

What happened in class today?

Today we had an exam on campus. The theories such as Hofstede 1980, Punnett's cultural shock, Emotional intelligence, and Rana plaza case study where we had to advise the Bangladesh factory owners how to cope up with workers attitudes and have empathy.

How was the class interaction?

Everyone was busy with writing the answers as we had a time limit and it had to be completed within the given time framework. Later we had an interview with DMU students

Why do I feel this way?

I felt a little when we had a new group join us as I did not know anyone when the interview was going on I was very restricted in speaking as half of the questions were already answered I realized that I am a good listener but when it comes to speaking I always allow other to talk unless its something which needs an explanation.

What did I learn today?

Thankfully due to the exam, I was able to read and retain more theories in detail I was able to read a few articles which the professor had suggested from Forbes and other journals on emotional intelligence and how important a role it plays in an organization.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

I would like to be more social in group activities. The questions were general and I was unable to speak up and ask because everyone had already spoken and asked I was hesitant to communicate. I have to work on this. I come from a family where authority and power speak and we follow the order

Anything else I would like to add?

My family has always taken big decisions for the government and governors. My Mom always took me to meetings but I was made to sit on the other chair not at the table with the powerful people. She always asked me to listen carefully and try to read between the lines and when someone in power speaks we should never say anything how much ever the rage is. Actions can be taken later. Leverage is the key. The utility is something she advised me to keep in mind. Always have utility. Maybe these are the reason I was unable to say freely in the group.

Also studying in a boarding school from a very age and being bullied by the seniors can also be one of the reasons why I was not so comfortable around new people.

By nature, I am a very shy person

Week-7                                                                             8th Nov

What happened in class today?

Today the class was scheduled online. Professor asked us how was our weekend told us to fill a feedback form on DMU students' interviews. the professor also told us about the DMU podcast related to culture, Diversity. It sounded very interesting and I would definitely participate in it.

How was your group interaction?

The group interaction was amazing. Students were highly energetic and gave real-life examples on organization structure and its hierarchy

Why do you feel this way?
Podcast has helped me a lot during the time when I was low in the host country. I feel I would really like to interact with people around the globe and express my views on regional and cultural diversity.

What did you learn today?

Today we studied organization structure and its types such as Flat and Matrix Verticle and horizontal. We also watched a video on corporate culture, collection of sustaining patterns and behavior which helps an organization to achieve long term growth. We also read about the impact on national culture, Structural and on Team and Workgroups. A very good question was asked by a student on how could organizational cultures and systems overcome the cultural differences between managers and subordinates. we also read about structural variation across cultures. A very well-defined example was given on Japanese and Korean families. In the end, we looked at the Effiel tower effect and Guided-missile culture. The place I come from has a high structural hierarchy and people are punished for crossing protocols and rules. It is nice to see the new ways of adaptation of cultural differences in theories across firms.

Is there anything else I would like to do differently?

The theories and concepts about diversification are what I would like to keep in mind so that when I open a form there are no cultural barriers and employees are trained in order to achieve growth, success, peace, and harmony.

Anything else I would like to add?

I will watch a movie this weekend called the social network and read more on Chaebol and Keiretsu family.

Week 8                                                              15thNov

What happened in class today?

Today was an on-campus class. We discussed various topics such as world view on ethics. We also learned about religion and culture and how believers conduct themselves has an impact on the cost of doing business. We also watched a video of 5 major religions in the class. We also read about legal, moral, rights with different viewpoints of the society.

How was the class interaction?

The class was deeply involved in understanding the religion and sharing thoughts on every aspect. We spoke about Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism. To conclude collective religious, cultural, and legal traditions were discussed. The professor also stimulated our thoughts with a real-life example such as Sudden increase of passenger flights to Palestine

Why do you feel this way?

Understanding different cultures help us to conduct business in a more professional way without hurting the sentiment of a religious sect.

What did you learn today?

Today we read on cross-national ethics and different views of it with the perspective of society where something legal in a custom can be regarded as illegal in the eyes of laws. What is right and wrong can also be subjective and moral and immoral based on people's understanding. We read about the importance of ethical values and how organizations that embed ethical values can enjoy the benefits of cultural diversity, higher productivity, innovation, and organizational improvement. Different examples of ethical or nonethical codes of conduct such as bribery, sabotage, theft, spying, discrimination, nepotism. ( In my country India this is highly encouraged as is considered as one of the frameworks of ease of doing business) but again the govt is changing and the new govt is in a fight to end corruption so it's a win for citizens. In India, people have faith in the judiciary but now they have started believing in executive and legislative due to the end of the above factors. The professor stimulated our minds and students gave real-life examples of whether to bribe or not to bribe ( I'm a law-abiding citizen and I have never bribed anyone, Tips to waiters for their hard work which I usually give despite high service charges on the final bill just to keep up there sprit up. Festival tips mentioned by the professor was really new to me it was nice how she had overcome the confusion when she arrived in the UAE, One more interesting fact mentioned was how it is considered offensive to give tip in NZ. We also read about moral questions - Custom and beliefs in the host country whether its acceptable and future consequences. We also discussed ethical and legal behavior where the behavior is not legally wrong but then can it be considered ethical. We also had a brief discussion on ethical relativism such as the self-death concept in Jainism and euthanasia- The right to live and die.
There was an interesting theory called hookers distinctions (2003) the level of acceptable and unacceptable were discussed and culture relativism theory where the custom culture is given more importance. We also read various importance integrity in business which is highly associated with CSR where areas such as employment practices and policies, consumer protection, environmental protection, Political payment and involvement, Basic human rights and fundamental freedom of an individual and community responsibility of a firm ( A real-life eg was mentioned by the professor when she visited a coffee plantation in Costa Rica)

10 Top guidelines \ requirements of social responsibility were mentioned with its added advantage and disadvantage ( admit a mistake- Where in Uk is considered as honesty but in NZ it shows inability\weaknesss even though it was an honest mistake. The most I liked was taking a public stand on social issues and monitoring the changing environment
In the end, it was discussed that it is crucial to identify and recognize ethical behavior to avoid blunders in business encounters such as negotiations, decision making, communication. It is also important to note that what is practiced by a culture may not necessarily be ethical.

Is there anything I would do differently?

The abstract was given to us and based on my understanding it was indeed important to follow the given points and theory in order to succeed in a host country. Hence, I would understand and follow the rules and try to always take an ethical approach.

Anything else I would like to add?

I shall be reading the case study of a Japanese train worker whose wages were deducted due to someone else's mistake and an article on ethical relativism which talks about the afterlife and incarnation

Week9                                                                  22nd Nov

What happened in class today?

Today's class was online. We discussed various topics under the leadership and the importance of leadership in an organization. Students spoke about their real-life situations at the workplace and approach to different types of leadership styles in culture. A leader shows skills in directing a group together and has a natural authority and people respect him\her.

How was the class interaction?

The class interaction was interactive. Professor stimulated our minds with real-life examples and tales which helped us to connect the dots and made us think about the different aspects of styles in leadership and cross-cultural management.

Why do we feel this way?

A leader motivates people and influences a group of the crowd in order to achieve a common goal. The ability to stay calm make decisions and carry a force towards a specific goal is a major trait of a leader.

What did you learn today?

Today we learned the importance of leadership in a successful organization. We also had a discussion on the differences that exist between a leader and a manager. Later, we saw different styles and characteristics of a good leader and various theoretical paradigms of leadership, and different approaches of leadership across cultures.

We also read a theory by Adler on what to expect from a leader where he\she has a vision that helps achieve long term growth and short term objectives, He\she who motivates the group and makes a decision that influences the success of the organization.

A manager can be described as implementing steps and timetables to achieve the needed result whereas a leader is visionary and implements high-level strategy in order to achieve the growth of the organization
A manager focuses on results whereas a leader makes changes and implements\makes new policies.

In cross-cultural context, the two main drivers can be analyzed as - Influencing people and achieving objectives. It is said effective leadership begins with an understanding of power not missing it and being able to influence the followers even when the situation is not favorable. We also read 5 major sources of power such as formal or legitimate power, Expert power(knowledge) Reward power, Punishment power, Personality power ( President Obama), and coercive power. We also read about various traditional leadership theories themes and theories such as Adaptable to the situation, alertness to the social environment, assertive, decisive, dominant, energetic, persistent, self-confident, tolerant and willing to assume responsibility, and tolerant of stress. We also read about cultural intelligence and its 3 components such as the physical, cognitive, and emotional\motivation. It was mentioned that most managers are not equally strong in these 3 areas.

Is there anything I would like to do differently?

The theory and studies have mentioned different types of traits and characteristics a leader should have. some leaders are born and some are made. By following the above theory and understanding the basic concept of how the world works it is possible to become a leader if you have a strong ambition guided by conscience.

Anything else I would like to add?

American former New York mobster and caporegime of the Colombo crime family, and son of former underboss Sonny Franzese. He was asked if it is better to be loved or feared. He said feared. Love lasts for a time fear is instilled which stays longer. Leadership is a quality where one has to navigate through all the existing hurdles and criticism from others. As tony soprano says - Every decision you make affects every facet of everything. It’s too much to deal with almost. And in the end, you’re completely alone with it all.”